December 16, 1773Reputable sourceWell documented
The Boston Tea Party
On the timeline · around December 16, 1773 ·
What happened
Protesting a tax on tea and the East India Company's monopoly, colonists — some disguised as Mohawks — boarded three ships in Boston Harbor on the night of December 16, 1773, and dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. Britain answered with the punitive 'Intolerable Acts.'
Why it matters
The Tea Party and Britain's harsh response pushed the colonies toward open rebellion, leading directly to the First Continental Congress and, within eighteen months, war.
Sources
- HISTORY (A&E). Boston Tea Party · Reputable source